18 SWIMMERS will be representing Barbados at the LIME CARIFTA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS set to come off at the Wildey, Aquatic Centre from April 23rd. Comprising 13 female and 5 male swimmers the team is set to do battle in the pool with 15 other Countries. Preliminaries in the 4 day meet will begin each day at 9:00 AM and finals at 6:00 PM. Two teams will take centre stage in the water polo championship beginning April 29-May 1st Netherland Antilles will take on Trinidad & Tobago under 15 male team where they will be contesting the gold medal.

The team

11-12 girls

SARIYAH SHERRY: Harrison College student and member of the Alpha Sharks Swim Club will be leading this division in this her 2nd time representing Barbados at Carifta. Won 2 silver medals last year and was the 11-12 division Champion at the Scotia Bank National Swimming Championships this year. At CISC in Cuba her tally of medals were 1 gold and 2 silver and she helped her team both at Carifta & Cisc to win gold , silver and bronze in the relays. Record holder in the 9-10 age group, sibling to older sister Inayah she has dubbed this Carifta as her very own and will be contesting 10 events. Her personal goal is to medal in all events and be division champion.

AHLEA WILLIAMS: 2ND time representing Barbados at Carifta and was also on the CISC team last year.She participated in the medal winning relays on both occasions. This Lodge School and Alpha Sharks enthusiastic swimmer established a record in the 400 M IM in the 9-10 age group and is entered to swim 5 events in this year’s Championship.

ALEXIS CLARKE and HANNAH GILL are the two new comers in this age group and boast many similarities. Both girls are students of Queen’s College and members of Pirates Swim Club, represented Barbados at last year’s Goodwill Swim Meet and are indeed cousins. Alexis will be swimming 4 events to Hannah’s 5 and has set her goal to be the best that she can be. Her pet events are 200 M backstroke and 400 M freestyle similarities that she also shares with Cousin Hannah hers being 400 & 200 M freestyle. Continuing improvement in all events is Hannah’s goal on this occasion.

11-12 boys

BRANDON THOMPSON and ALEX SOBERS have taken centre stage for the boys’ 11-12. They both stepped up to the plate and took a firm stand at a time when male participation is out -numbered by the female. Brandon attends the Combermere School and like Alex is a member of the Alpha Sharks Swim Club . Competing at their first Carifta Championship they have posited different goals. Brandon has his sights set on qualifying for CCCAN and to make finals in all events whereas Deighton School student Alex would like to medal in 200 M butterfly and 200 M IM. Alex and Brandon will be competing in 8 and 6 events respectively.

13-14 girls

No doubt about it the burden of this year’s performance will be placed on the 13-14 age group which comprises the Barbados’ most prolific medallists and national awardees. St Michael’s AMARA GIBBS and ZABRINA HOLDER, Harrison College’s DEANDRE SMALL and INAYAH SHERRY are among the top performers at the Carifta Swimming Championships and are all members of the Alpha Sharks Swim Club. Both Amara and Zabina have achieved PanAmerican Games qualifying ‘A’ status and have set very nationalist goals for this occasion. Zabrina wants to make her Country proud and has the lofty ideals to achieve awesome results while medalling in all 10 events. Amara wants 100 % improvement in all times and to medal to boot as well. 18 events will be contested between them. Both girls are multiple medallists, record holders both national age group and open as well as regional and have a credible track record among them. Breaststroker and Combermere’s and Silver Fins Swim Club KIMBERLEY WILLOUGHBY also wants to medal and improve on times having gained gold, silver and bronze at last year’s competitions. She has identified her pet events as the 100 & 200 M breaststroke and will be competing in 3 events on this occasion. One of DEANDRE SMALL’S goals for this year is to make the PanAmerican Games qualifying ‘A’ cut at this meet. She, along with Zabrina, Amara and Lee-Ann Rose, was part of the record breaking relay team at the CAC Games where she made her debut at non-age group swimming. Small, a prolific medallist and veteran breaststroker has been entered to swim 6 events and intends to medal in all. Backstroker, INAYAH SHERRY and National Sports Council’s youth Awardee will be competing in 5 events on this occasion. National record holder and multiple medallist at both Carifta, CISC and CCCAN Sherry will be looking forward to a grand performance before the home crowd in which she plans to medal and improve in all events.

13-14 boys

Top Junior swimmer for the year 2010 and National Youth Awardee CHRISTIAN SELBY is the lone male swimmer in the 13-14 age group. Coming off of a sterling performance in 2010 Selby will be looking to continue his great performance into 2011. Also a prolific national record holder, Selby also holds records regionally at Carifta and CISC. Student of Queen’s College and member of Pirates swim Club this is his 3rd Carifta appearance.

15-17 girls

Barbados now has a 15-17 age group to its credit. LANI CABRERA returns to join Youth Olympics participant LEE-ANN ROSE, Queen College’s REBECCA CLARKE and CRYSTAL JORDAN BROWNE in this age group. Cabrera who represented Barbados on several occasions at Carifta and CISC and also at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Pune, India is back after a short break from competitive swimming. Competing in 4 events the now Pirates Swim Club member will be concentrating on the distance events. Stepping out from her backstroking confines, Alpha Sharks’s Rose will be competing in a diverse range of events and distances on this occasion. The Queen College student along with Lani are expected to anchor this age group. Alleyne student and Silver Fins Swim Club Crystal Jordan Browne is on her 2nd mission and wants to improve times, qualify for CCCAN and make finals in all events. Rebecca Clarke our 15-17 new comer and Pirates Swim Club swimmer will be focussing on doing her best in her 7 events and supporting her team in every way possible. Her pet events are 200 & 100 M freestyle and is sister to Alexis Clarke.

15-17 boys

13 events will be contested between Lodge School and Pirates swimmer RUSSELL OLIVER and Kelly College’s MATHEW COURTIS. Courtis will be arriving in Barbados on April 13th from the UK where he now trains. Medallist at CISC Courtis specialises in the distance events and set his goals to qualify for the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Isle of Mann and the British Nationals. Russell Oliver is back after a hiatus from Carifta swimming and his goal is to make finals in all events and to medal.

Synchronised swimming

Team management/Coaches

The team will be managed by MRS FABIAN ROSE, with MRS JOSETTE HOLDER as Assistant. Head Coach is DARNY OLALDE HERNANDEZ and assisted by JOSE AGUERO MIRANDA as Assistant Coach.